Medieval bridge over the Enxoé stream

Category: Civil Architecture > Ponte Medieval

District: Beja > Serpa > Serpa > Salvador e Santa Maria

Location

The Medieval Bridge over the Enxoé stream is located in the town of Serpa, Alentejo, integrated into the Salvador and Santa Maria area. Although now in a more consolidated area, its presence maintains a visual connection to the Enxoé stream, over which it was built. The site offers a tranquil perspective on the surrounding landscape, a point of pause to observe local history and nature.

Historical Crossing

This ancient crossing over the Enxoé stream is a visible link to Serpa's past. Although formally referenced in documents from 1758, its original construction is considerably older, revealing features that point to a medieval era. The bridge is a significant testament to the evolution of routes and paths that once connected the region, playing a fundamental role in the road system of bygone times, even though it is no longer in use for modern traffic.

Architectural Elements

The bridge structure features a deck approximately 60 meters long, with a slightly "humpback" profile. Its pavement is clad in stone slabs, flanked by masonry guardrails. The bridge rests on six robust arches, whose archivolts are constructed of brick. The pillars supporting these arches are protected by three small triangular cutwaters, designed to deflect the force of the water. A distinctive detail is the exposed brick arch moldings, which constitute the main decorative element of the construction.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt